DoorDash unveils delivery drone, promises sub-five-minute average deliveries in Northern California trial

The drone is part of DoorDash Air, a delivery effort the company has been planning for some time. DoorDash said it has invested in pick-up and drop-off infrastructure and an ordering system as well as the aircraft. It estimates about 80% of customer orders are light enough to be carried by drone, and early tests indicate average delivery times of under five minutes.

DoorDash Air chief Harrison Shih said any local business should be able to reach consumers by air. “We built the whole system so that they can deliver by air without being disruptive to how they run their business,” Shih said. The drone will not land for deliveries; it will lower cargo in front of a customer’s door or in a backyard and then depart. DoorDash said failsafes are built in so the drones can land safely in emergencies. It described cruising noise as comparable to a passing car at delivery height.

Online reaction reported by TechRadar was not overwhelmingly positive. One Reddit user wrote, “Wait until the birds learn there’s food in those boxes,” while others raised concerns about bad weather, cold food and packages accidentally dropped from the sky. DoorDash’s plans are being announced as Amazon faces complaints about the noise from its own drone delivery service. TechSpot reported that residents in Richardson, Texas, are unhappy with the constant buzzing from Amazon drones after Prime Air launched in the area last December. The sound has been compared to a flying lawnmower. Residents said dozens of drones can pass overhead each day. Prime Air aircraft are allowed to fly between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., and Amazon said noise complaints have been a small share of customer feedback.

The announcement did not specify when the Northern California trial would begin or how many drones would be used. DoorDash’s estimate that most orders are light enough for drone transport points to a focus on smaller meals and items, while the company is pitching the service as a way for local businesses to deliver by air. The comparison with Amazon’s Prime Air in Texas shows that noise and local acceptance are already part of the debate around drone delivery. DoorDash says its aircraft should be comparable to a passing car at delivery height, but the response in Richardson suggests residents may judge that claim differently.

Editor’s Summary: DoorDash has unveiled a six-propeller drone for its planned DoorDash Air service and a Northern California trial with Chipotle and Popeyes. The company says average deliveries could take under five minutes and that about 80% of orders are light enough for drone transport. The launch comes as Amazon faces noise complaints in Texas over Prime Air, a reminder that drone delivery depends on local acceptance as well as technology.